Torn
by Thalia Eltanin
Summary: It's just that... Fred Weasley being dead seems like another joke.


After Voldy said his speech, I rushed to the Great Hall, where Fred would probably be. I wanted to tell him about the new spell I discovered while battling some blonde Death Eater.

In the Great Hall, survivors were huddled in groups, with their families. Of course, everyone wanted to check in with their loved ones. The castle was silent now, a few whispers straying in the air while I tried to locate the Weasleys.

I saw them, a large bunch of redheads. They were huddled around something, probably another dead body. A small way from them were the bodies of Lupin and Tonks.

I sighed. Other friends who died. It can't be helped, as Fred usually says.

I spotted Angelina somewhere near Nick. I made a mental note to tell Fred. War or no war, he still was head over heels in love with her. I had to admit, I also had a small crush on Angelina, but that didn't matter.

I finally reached Dad. I avoided looking at the body on the floor; I didn't want another heartache. It was easy, since everyone was blocking my view.

Dad looked up. "George," he said, a little surprised. I could see from the redness of his eyes that he'd been crying earlier.

"Hey, Dad, have you seen Fred?"

"George." He said it in a lifeless voice.

"Dad? I just asked you were Fred was. You see, we were planning on this strategy with our new product… We could put some on the castle gates—"

"George!" my mother interrupted me. I turned in surprise and she hugged me and was sobbing heavily. "Georgie, I'm so sorry… I can't— oh, I don't know… I'm so sorry!"

"Mum, Mum," I forced a chuckle in an effort to calm her down. She was being hysterical. I looked up for help. Dad was crying again. Percy was looking down at the floor. Bill looked at Mum sadly. Even Fleur didn't want to look me in the eyes.

I then looked at Ginny, who was the toughest of all of us and surely could help me let Mum settle down. But Ginny was also sobbing— the Ginny who could handle anything. I resisted the urge to ask '_who died?'_

"What happened?" I asked, grinning. "Whatever it is, don't worry. We can't let old Voldy get into our nerves."

Mum sobbed even harder against my chest. "George, George, it's Fred. Fred's… oh, George," she wailed.

I snapped my head to look at the ground. The body was wearing the same clothes as I was, same face, and same ruffled red hair.

Fred.

No, no, he was asleep, wounded perhaps, but just asleep.

"What happened to him?" I asked. I gently peeled off Mum from and kneeled beside Fred. "Is he wounded?"

There was a silence. Ginny spoke up. "George," she said. "Fred's dead. Rookwood fired a spell, and the corridor exploded. Percy and Ron were with him. And Fred… he died."

"I'm sorry? My ear still isn't in its best shape…"

Percy shook his head. "George, listen. Fred's dead."

I laughed without humour. "Perce, I appreciate your attempt to make jokes, but that job is obviously for Fred and me. Seriously now, what happened to him?"

No one answered. "Okay then," I said. "Never mind."

I leaned against Fred. I shook his shoulders slightly. "Fred? Freddie? It's me, George."

He didn't stir, and his body seemed so… lifeless.

I forced another grin. "Fred, wake up. I need your ass up to the castle gates and we can go bust some Death Eaters." I shook his shoulders with more force.

Nothing.

"Fred, this isn't funny anymore," I said in my best annoyed voice. Fred always stopped making jokes whenever I used it.

Still nothing.

"What's this? Did you give him a sleeping potion or something?" I asked the people around me.

Ginny sniffed. "George, you have to accept it. Fred's gone." Mum sobbed and laid her head against Fred's chest.

"No, that's not true," I said, keeping my eyes on my brother. I shook him as hard as I could. "Fred! Wake up, you bastard. FRED!"

Tears started forming in my eyes as I shook Fred's body.

Dead… _Dead… _ No… He can't… Fred Weasley can't be dead… Absurd…

Bill took a step closer to us. "George, Fred's gone. He's not here anymore. Ginny's right, you have to accept that."

"No! You're lying!" I yelled in desperation. "You're all lying! He's not dead! You're lying… you're lying…" The tears were spilling down my face and I hugged Fred's body. My tears dropped on Fred's shirt, but they didn't wake him up.

That's not right. He has to wake up sooner or later. Injured or not, I would kill him once he wakes up.

My head hurt. The possibility of Fred being dead never entered my mind. Him being dead was not possible, an impossibility, something that can never happen.

_But he is_, a small voice in my mind whispered.

"NO!" I shouted to drive the voice away. "FRED! FRED, DAMN YOU, WAKE UP!"

He ignored me. Not once in my life did Fred ever ignore me, ever disregard or neglect a request of mine. If I asked him to jump off the Astronomy Tower I knew he would.

But this one request for him to wake up… just to open his eyes and prove to me that everyone was playing a sick joke on me… he didn't do it.

"Fred… Fred…" I sobbed against his chest. "Please… I'll do anything… Just wake up, please… Freddie, for me?"

I was aware of everyone looking at me, of everyone staring, but I didn't care. My heart was torn, torn into pieces, because my brother, my best friend, wouldn't wake up.

He's _gone..._

I yelled, I shouted, I pleaded and begged at Fred, but he didn't heed me. He just remained in that peaceful state that _killed_ me.

I stood up, my vision blurred by tears. But I struggled to focus on the entrance of the Great Hall. I charged without thinking, just wanting to kill, rip and _tear apart_ whoever killed Fred. I wanted to _destroy _every Death Eater that came my way. I started to pull out my wand.

Percy blocked me, hugging me. "George, don't. Calm down. You _have _to think rationally…"

"NO! I WANT TO KILL THEM!" Why can't Percy understand? I pushed against him, but he didn't budge. "I WANT THEM TO SUFFER! THEY KILLED MY BROTHER! THEY KILLED FRED!"

"Shhh," Percy whispered, trying to console me.

I locked eyes with Angelina from across the room. Tears were also streaming down her face. Everyone in the Great Hall was watching us. Either also crying or just looking on with pity.

I turned back to Fred. He looked so peaceful, the bastard. As if he didn't leave me behind in a world of pain.

I dropped to my knees and crawled back to his side. "Why didn't they kill me too?" I whispered, no more life left in me. "Why did Fred have to leave me alone? I wish they killed me too… they should have killed me too."

I slumped against his chest. My brother… my best friend… my partner in crime…

Gone.

Gone. Gone. Gone.

No, I was wrong. My heart wasn't torn. It was gone… because Fred took it with him.

_Dear Fred,_

_ This is awkward. I don't know what to say. Ginny forced me to write this letter, but I haven't spoken to you in ages._

_Well, it's been six years since you died and Angelina and I are married now. I don't know whether to feel ashamed of myself or not. I know you loved Angelina once. She liked you, too. But then you died._

_You left me._

_It was Hell for me in the first few years after Harry won the war. I tried to crack jokes again, to be normal. But how could I be normal when my best friend wasn't there? But I tried. I ran the shop. Ron helped me out for a while, until he earned enough so that he could propose to Hermione. _

_Angelina stayed with me. At first, we were just friends. She dropped by the shop frequently. You probably knew that I had a small crush on her while you were dating. But I was still mourning for you, Fred. _

_Angelina helped me recover. She was my constant companion. After a few months, my jokes had life again. And then one night in the shop, we kissed. I won't tell you the details. You don't want you retching up there, do we?_

_Angelina helped me smile again, Fred. She made me feel like I'm alive again. So I married her two years after that kiss._

_ I love you, Fred. We both knew that I was always the sentimental one. I used my heart and you used your head. But you were the one who died and I wanted to follow you. Angelina changed that, Fred. She made me realize how stupid I've been acting. I've been ignoring Mum and Dad. I've been hot-headed and got mad at our siblings often. Ginny and Angelina said that I was turning into Percy. The horror, eh?_

_Don't think I forgot about our legacy. The shop's thriving now. It amazes me, what we've done. All thanks to Harry, of course. He still refuses to get anything for free, even gifts for Ginny. You were right, Fred. They did end up together. Ron, on the other hand, was guzzling our goods like a pig when he worked there. I threatened to fire him, and he stopped. It was a good riddance, though, when he earned enough and I kicked him out._

_I still miss you, though. A lot has happened, but I still hurt at night. But I'm better. I know you're just there, watching us. Sometimes I think I feel you with me… in the shop, in our flat, whenever I'm alone. Maybe it's just my mind playing rubbish with me. Maybe it's real._

_Tears are forming in my eyes again. I'm glad I married Angelina, so that I'm not alone all the time. I love her, because she's helped me so much. I hope you're happy for us. She understands, you see._

_I'm in St. Mungo's now. I rushed Angelina to the hospital. She's giving birth to our first baby. Ginny was first to get here, and then she shoved this piece of parchment and quill into my hand. She was on a date with Harry, but he insisted they come here. Mum and Dad came next. Mum very happy for us. When Ron came, the first thing she told him was to get it going with Hermione. Our brother went tomato red. Hermione rushed from the Ministry, she works there now. Bill and Fleur Apparated from Shell Cottage with Victoire, while Percy came with them. Everybody's here, Fred._

"Excuse me, but who is the father of the child?" A witch asked us, holding a clipboard in her hand.

I raised my read, and everyone looked at me. Mum nodded happily.

"I am," I said. "Is my wife okay?"

She smiled. "Yes, your wife is asking for you." She turned her heel and I followed her, the smiles of my family encouraging me.

I went inside the room. Angelina was lying on the bed, gorgeous as always, holding a sleeping baby in her arms.

"It's a boy," she told me, joy plain in her voice. "Isn't he beautiful?"

I went closer. "No son of mine will ever be called _beautiful_. I think he's handsome, just like his father." Angelina laughed softly.

I glanced back at the witch. "Please call the rest of our family." She nodded and left.

I looked at Angelina. "Can I hold him?"

She held our son towards me. He was fast asleep. He looked like a Weasley, with flaming red hair and freckles. He looked wicked.

"Hey." Ginny and Harry came in, while the rest of my family came in.

"My first grandson," Dad said with pride obvious in his tone.

"Yeah," I said, rocking my son. "Looks just like another Weasley that will mess around, eh?"

Mum had tears in her eyes. Harry came forward and patted my back. "I'm happy for you, George," he said.

I nodded. "I want Percy to be godfather."

Percy looked up in surprise. "Me?"

"George and I talked about it already, Percy," Angelina said from behind me. "We didn't think there was a better choice."

I could see wetness in his eyes, and he rubbed them under his horn-rimmed glasses. "Thank you."

"He needs a name," Ginny told us.

I took one look at my sleeping child and locked eyes with Angelina. And then I told them.

_ I have a son, Fred. And I'm very happy. Angelina's happy, too. He reminds me of you, Fred._

_ So we named him Fred Weasley Junior. For you._

_ For my best friend._

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN - I cried while writing this :( Hope you all felt the sadness George and I did **  
><em>


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